Pages

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Brian and Sookie with their Dad

My husband and I recently dramatically changed our lives, we got two gorgeous Shitzu/Maltese puppies. So this post is inspired by these cute, fluffy creatures. As soon as you own a dog, you enter this interesting doggy dog world of potty training, chew toys, barking, fleas, worms, the list goes on...

Dogs are no longer just pets but more a part of the family so its important to integrate them into your lifestyle so they enhance your life and don't add extra stress. One of the biggest challenges is to keep our home tidy and stylish, not overrun with doggy stuff and most importantly not smell! So I thought I'd share some ideas on how to incorporate dogs into your life in a stylish way.

Re-purpose an old suitcase(big or small) for a dog bed. Looks so sweet and also has pockets to keep their toys. It's so important to give them lots of toys to ensure they have plenty of options to distract them from your shoes. Image courtesy of Pinterest.com

Dogs need toys for entertainment and teething, they like to mix it up and have different toys every day. Keep them tidily put away in a purpose made toy box. Image courtesy of Pinterest.com

Incorporate a dog bed into an island bench. Multipurpose and chic. Image courtesy of Pinterest.com

One of the best ways to keep your house clean and smelling fresh (apart from regular bathing) is to keep your pup outside most of the time. So you need a warm and comfortable kennel so your dog can have a haven in their outdoor environment. You don't have to get something aesthetically displeasing as there are some fabulous options out there.

No longer do you need a very traditional A-frame doghouse, try modern and contemporary! Image courtesy of Image filesluxury.com

Don't want a real dog? Try these cute cushions from Mondegreen cats and rabbits too! I want the pug.

Again if you don't want a real dog, check out these stools. Designed by Masakazu Hori, "Osanpo" is a stool inspired by four different dog breeds: Labrador Retriever, Bulldog, Dachshund, and Chihuahua. Image courtesy of dreamdogsart.typepad.com. The Bulldog stool makes me laugh.

So not just around the home but you can also show your love for our canine creatures via fashion choices.

I'm loving the Pooch Clutch by by Philadelphia artist Colleen Rudolf. Her purses are "a locally-sourced, eco-conscious, handcrafted, animal-free, made-in-America dream accessory". A portion of her profits goes to help prevent cruelty to animals. You can purchase at Etsy

Thursday, 7 February 2013

There is something so unique and striking about handpainted fabrics for the home or the body. This week we pay homage to this seasons style must-have by selecting a few inspiring garments and homewares that really showcase this trend.

Who doesn't want to stand out in a crowd and in this day and age individuality is very much in-vogue. As a lover of crafts and DIY I admire any and all things that have a real 'made with love' feel to them.

Bluebelle Gray creates amazing handpainted fabrics and pieces for the home. How fresh and inviting is the couch covered in handpainted sunflowers!

Below are just some handpicked and handpainted furnishings for the home that I hope will inspire your creative juices

Marimekko handpainted fabrics like Kotona (above) are great stretched over canvas as art or made into soft furnishings like cushions

I love a good feature wall. No, not the 90s obsession where one wall in every room was a bright colour - yes Mum I remember when you broke out the burgundy! I actually really love a wallpapered feature wall, what a great talking point.

These handprinted wallpapers below and above are by one of my fave designers Porter Teleo, such a bold statement!

In fashion, there is a resurgence for hand-dipped/dyed and hand painted designs.

And just to show you how passionate I am about this handpainted trend I thought I'd give you a glimpse of my recent Sevens costume (remember the Chandeliers), well this year hubby and I did our best interpretation of Gotye and Kimbra which was inspired by their song Somebody That I used to know below

The real Gotye and Kimbra

The pretend versions: Yours truly and my husband Joe

By the way this lovely snap was captured by my homebecomesher compadre Mereana!And there you have it, I hope you enjoyed my post and have been enlightened by the uniqueness and beauty of handpainted fabrics for the home and your wardrobe. If you're feeling creative and were about to throw out a perfectly good purse I have attached this 'totes amazing' tutorial on how to paint your way to a new one. Enjoy! x